The Secret of the Stone
by Xandrabelle
Summary: Ed and Al's search for the Philosopher's Stone, as seen through the perspective of Roy Mustang. Have a chapter 6.
1. Chapter 1

There were a million reasons why he was standing here at this particular door and even more why he should walk away. But there was only the slightest hesitation before Roy Mustang lifted his hand and knocked.

Thinking back, it had all started fairly simply-- a letter in the midst of the official correspondence filling up his desk tray one morning. Nothing odd about that, except for the last name in the sender's column-- Elric.

That had been enough to give him pause. The letter had been forwarded from another state alchemist and it appeared to have been ignored for some time. Not unusual given that many state alchemists travelled frequently and didn't get to read their mail for many months.

Roy turned the letter in his hand. So Hoenheim Elric's sons were writing to ask for the whereabouts of their father. The name was familiar enough. Hoenheim Elric was notable for being able to transmutate without using an array. The Hoenheim Elric who'd disappeared without a trace so many years ago. From the letter, Roy gathered that the mother had died. Pity and pain flashed within him. No child should have to be without their parents. Not like the one he'd deprived...

Something must have showed in his expression because his ever present second-in-command spoke up.

"What's the matter, Sir?" Riza Hawkeye asked protectively, gazing at him with an intensity that Roy was used to.

Roy handed over the letter wordlessly. No point trying to keep anything from her. The woman knew everything about his business anyway. Roy was ambivalent about this particular aspect of their relationship. Half the time he was grateful that he had at least one person who seemed to accept him, despite all his glorious flaws that no one else seemed to have perceived. The other half of the time he spent trying to run away while swallowing gibbers of terror at the mountain of paperwork she piled upon him.

He watched her study it carefully, no doubt commiting the contents to her memory. Riza was nothing if thoroughly capable. Her serious concentration held everyone in Roy's office in abject terror. They were all thoroughly pussy whipped.

"These two boys, they're alone," she stated, her brow creasing slightly.

Roy nodded, face carefully neutral in watching her. He wondered if her maternal instincts were kicking in, a side of her he rarely got to see, unless it was from the way she mother-henned him.

"Will you go to them, Lieutanant-Colonel?"

Roy dipped his head lightly. "I think I will. The military likes to keep track of civilian alchemists and their research. And if the boys have a lead on the whereabouts of their father..." He wondered if this would be a good enough distraction from the paperwork.

Even though he'd made up his mind to go, he was still surprised when Riza nodded along with him.

"I'll make the arrangements immediately." His astonishment must have showed because she turned suddenly and flashed him a wholly evil smile. "Don't worry, the paperwork will be here when you get back.

Hearing those words, Lieutanant-Colonel Roy Mustang, the Flame Alchemist, battle-scarred hero of the wars, breaker of a thousand hearts, was reduced to a whimpering puddle.

So it was that he found himself at Risembool's train station 2 days later. Hawkeye had gone about arranging his absence with a quiet efficiency. Either that or she had fired some well-placed bullets to intimidate the relevant personnel to sign on the dotted line. It would be blatent insubordination but Roy couldn't put it past her.

The sky was clouding over upon his arrival and he spent a few minutes debating between finding some cover from the impending storm in the village or trying to track down the Elric brothers. A polite enquiry to the old pipe-smoking codger gazing at him curiously found him heading towards the pointed direction-- towards the Elric brothers. Roy sighed, it wasn't as if he worried about getting wet here. He was safe enough in this sleepy village. He hid a bitter laugh, recklessly guessing that the greatest danger he faced here was a cold. Now that'd be a glorious end for the great Roy Mustang.

The countryside proved wider than he expected. It was dark by the time he trudged up the path to his destination, a small cosy house. The windows were darkened but he could still make his way onward in the growing dimness. He wasn't particularly tired, he was a soldier after all, used to marching long distances, even if he was an officer and spared the worst rigors of being at the frontlines.

All of a sudden, a blue flash centering around the house lit up the entire landscape. The light burnt into his retinas leaving him blinking to clear his vision. It was the unmistakable light of alchemy being performed. As if that wasn't enough, flashes of lightning began to ripple across the horizon in melodramatic punctuation, as the sky opened. In the sleeting rain, Roy stared dumbly, wondering what the hell was going on. He was unable to stop shivers from running up his spine, no thanks to the scene before him. Sometimes too much atmosphere was not a good thing. He hurried towards the house.

At first glance, the house had seemed near enough but in reality, it took him the better part of an hour to cross the fields and down the path towards it. There had been nothing after that initial burst of alchemiac light but Roy was unable to shake the sense of foreboding upon him. 

Hesitantly he stepped across the threshold, water flowing freely from his coat. The door was wide open, he didn't even need to push at it. He called out a hello, only to be greeted by silence. A few steps further in and he knew why.

His feet squelched in the blood and bits of something soft, flesh probably, his mind helpfully supplied. But he was beyond disgust, his stomach too inured to worse horrors to churn at such sights. Not after Ishbal. Even the coppery scent of spilled blood did nothing to him. The rain had masked the stench but it was all too powerful in this room. His mind merely registered its presence.

Standing in the center of the room, Roy saw at a glance exactly what had happened. An intricate array detailing a transmutation attempt, as crystal clear as a road map to the practiced eye of an experienced Alchemist. State Alchemists passed rigorous tests to get to where they were, Roy was no exception though he hid it well beneath a lazy exterior. The resulting gore splattered about the room was enough to tell him about the spectacular failure at alchemy.

He had come too late.

Some academic part of him was impressed that two children, not even in their teens could have come up with an array so original, so dangerous as to even work. A calm detachment flowed into Roy as he continued to study the scene.

There was no body.

Heaving a sigh of relief, he concluded that as spectacular as the failure was, no one had died.

Retaining some presence of mind, he swiftly set about erasing the array, smudging over what he could so that no one who came after would guess at what happened. The crime for attempting human transmutation was death. Roy didn't want that complication upon the Elric brothers, if they had survived this mess.

Roy followed the blood trail out the door. Initially there was a disconcerting amount of blood, splattered about the steps, smudged by his own footprints but not yet erased by the rain thanks to a small awning. It was amazing that he hadn't slipped on any of it earlier. In the dim light, he spotted suspicious bits splattered among the cobbles of the path leading south. Heaving a deep sigh, he plunged back out into the wet, pursuing the trail without pause, dreading what he'd find at the end but by no means undeterred from seeing it to the finish.

For what seemed like hours, Roy trudged through the rain. As the raindrops fell, what little evidence was left was rapidly erased. But his senses were keen enough to track the sparse trail. It wasn't too far before he concluded there could be only one destination-- a house in the distance, windows lit with a welcoming yellow glow. The lights pulled him onward, an offer of warmth and comfort from the rain, now pouring freely down. Confidently he surged forth, ignoring the seeping cold, until he saw the sign at the base.

He stopped short and drew a shuddering breath, staring at the sign as if it were the gateway to hell. Perhaps it was after all, his own personal hell. 

_Rockbell._

How far had he run to avoid this and yet now, here he was. Three years after the tragedy at Ishbal. If Roy hadn't been atheist, he'd have wondered if there was some guiding power that decreed this fate for him. For a moment, he almost succumbed to hysteria from the irony. But iron discipline restored his control and he gathered himself together, tucking away his heart wrenching guilt, still not scabbed over. Perhaps it never would.

He crossed the three steps up the house to the door and knocked.


	2. Chapter 2

Roy Mustang had been expecting the door to open when he knocked. But nothing happened, not even after he tried a second time. Unused to being ignored, he leant forward and pressed his ear to the wood. Evesdropping wasn't beyond him after all. Hughes would be so proud.

Raised voices filtered through the thick panelling. Panicked tones conveyed a situation that muffled words could not. A child's pained cry wrung at his heart. The people inside were obviously too preoccupied to answer the door.

He tried the door handle and found it swinging open easily. He shook his head at his idiocy. Why'd he even bothered to knock? This was the countryside, not the city. People here probably didn't even lock their doors, secure and confident in their bastians of safety. He almost felt bad entering without permission.

The warmth in the house was too alluring to pass up, imparting a pleasant heat to his drenched body. He hadn't realized he was shivering lightly until he stopped. His muscles had been a mass of tension since his gory discovery at the Elric house. But something in the Rockbell house soothed him. It could have been the small vases of rainbow-hued wildflowers haphazardly tucked into the corners, or the bright-cheeked grinning faces in the photographs on the mantle that he refused to look too closely at, or the messy scattering of tools all over the floor. The place had a lived-in look.

A part of him rejoiced that _she_ had such a place. Another part of him shrieked accusations that he'd not done anything to make it better. Forcibly shaking his head, he shoved those thoughts away. There was nothing he could do right now. Right now, his concern was the Elric brothers. And they were obviously here.

He took another few strides and paused as the cascade of words drifted clearer to his ears. A childish voice, too high to be an adult, too low to be a girl's, was raised in panicked explanation.

"I don't know what happened. I just know when it was over, I was like this and Nii-san... Nii-san... there was blood everywhere."

Will Nii-san be all right?"

Roy moved closer to the door, noting casually that the occupants in the bedroom hadn't noticed him yet. He wondered how much more of the sordid tale he would hear. There was the girl, hovering over a small form swathed in so many bandages he was barely able to identify as human. Then there was an old woman, her demeanor grave, obviously troubled by the state of her sudden visitors.

At the far end was a looming suit of armor. There was no mistaking that it was the speaker, however incongruous it was to hear the voice of a child resounding hollowly from it. If a suit of armor could display tension and worry, then that was what it was doing. Waves of confusion and anxiety fairly rolled from it. No, him.

The old lady was speaking again but Roy had heard enough.

"These boys attempted human transmutation," he interjected. Three startled gazes fixed upon him. Roy saw the assessing way the old lady took his measure, especially the blue uniform beneath his dripping trench.

"Who are you?" Aunt Pinako asked.

"Lieutenant-Colonel Roy Mustang. I am a State Alchemist." He held out his silver watch, emblazoned with its distinctive pattern. He was ambivalent about using it. It identified him as an alchemist who'd sold himself out as a dog of the military, to gain the vast benefits in exchange. On the other hand, if he'd achieved his goals, then the watch would no longer be an object of disgust. He watched the elder Rockbell carefully. There was alarm in her eyes-- clearly she knew what penalty the state had for people who dared to break the law against human transmutation. Roy kept his face perfectly bland, unsure how to ease her fears that he would harm the Elric brothers.

Reaching into his pocket, he dug out the rumpled letter which had brought him here and showed it to them.

"We received this letter recently. We are interested in Hoenheim Elric. But if his sons can perform human transmutation, they are even more interesting."

He met the old lady's hostile stare steadily and was relieved when after a long minute, she sighed and backed down. Somehow, she'd seen through his intentions. Either that or his natural glamour with women worked in his favor this time. And he hadn't even smiled at her. Roy was amazed at his own ability to charm sometimes.

Nevertheless, he carefully avoided the gaze of the little blonde near the bed. He didn't know what he'd do if he confronted her. Would he see reproach in her innocent eyes? Hatred? What would he do if he did? Break down, grovel at her feet and beg for a forgiveness that he knew he didn't deserve? No, this was not the time nor the place for it. Perhaps when he was the Fuhrer and could make amends... Or perhaps he was just a coward after all.

"When he is well, tell him to come to me in Central." It was all he could manage to say in the growing silence. A slight movement on the bed caught his eye. So, the boy there was awake and listening. Good. His respect for him mounted. A genius alchemist combined with such incredible courage -- to have done the impossible by affixing his brother's soul into a suit of armor, sacrificing his own limbs in the effort. All at the spur of the moment. The mere thought humbled Roy.

He wondered if the boy would be strong enough to take up his challenge. Roy wouldn't blame him if he'd decided to stay in this backwater village forever and nursed his wounds. But that would leave his brother trapped like this. He shot another glance at the figure on the bed and was met by a slitted glare. No, Edward Elric would come to him, he was too filled with a fire driving him forward. Roy wasn't sure if he should be gratified or dismayed by the prospect.

There was little else he could say or do, and so he inclined his head to the group and left, back out into the cold and pouring rain.


	3. Chapter 3

Life settled into a routine on Roy's return to Central. His second, Lieutanant Hawkeye diligently piled him with paperwork while he found ways to elude her. It was almost a dance the two did, the moves between them honed with practice till it was almost second nature. Riza would pounce, tackle, and threaten while Roy would evade and procrastinate. However, Roy had to ruefully admit that he was outflanked more often than not. Still he enjoyed this little harmless game. Much better than marching to frontlines as a living weapon of mass destruction.

Two other things alleviated the monotony of Roy's time. One was his alchemy. Despite his feelings over how his power over fire was abused, he had no inhibitions about understanding the science behind it. He enjoyed studying, reading up theories, learning from the mistakes made by others gone before him. He actually found it fun, though most people around him didn't understand his thirst. While he did his research, he kept in mind the Elric brothers. After Ishbal, he'd thought about human transmutation but he'd been too much of a coward to try it. Instead, he sought another path. Now his research was for somebody else and it gave him new purpose in doing it.

The second thing that ended up occupying Roy's time and energies was more happenstance than intent. It was during one of his many lunches with his long time friend and confidant, Maes Hughes.

As usual, Hughes was singing the praises of his wife, still in the throes of recently wedded bliss. "Garcia is so beautiful, I could look at her all day," he gushed as he pressed kisses on her photograph.

"Well, you seem to be doing that just fine," Roy replied dryly, not really caring for being made to look at her too. He was pleased for his best friend but sometimes all the gushing bored him greatly. "And don't start trying to fix me up with someone just like her," he added quickly. He wasn't in the mood to be matchmade today.

"Actually, how about someone not like her at all," Hughes said, suddenly serious.

The change in tone caught Roy's attention. "How do you mean?" His gaze sharpened on his friend, impressed by the abrupt switch to all business.

Hughes brought out a second photograph. "This is Desiree Sapphire Rosen," he said, with a smirk at the fancy name. "Lately she's been seen in the company of many officers in Central. We also know that she's connected to an aide of the Drachma ambassador. I'd like you to go out with her. And tell me what questions she asks of you."

Roy raised an eyebrow. "You want me to go out with her?" He stared at his friend. "Like spy on her?"

His friend grinned and waved his hand dismissively. "It's counterespionage! Or whatever you want to call it. I'm sure you're a good listener. Just use your charm, she'll be eating out of your hand."

Roy stared at him for a mere half minute before he caved. The task proved surprisingly easy. The lady proved not to be a lady at all and the business was taken care of behind the scenes with the least amount of diplomatic fuss.

The little bit of excitement had whetted his appetite and he found himself taking on more such tasks. Before he knew it, he'd cultivated a reputation as a heart breaker. Not that Roy meant to break hearts. It was all part of his cover, of course. Roy was entirely sincere with his dates and an excellent listener. After all, he wasn't inclined to share his personal angst with just anyone so what could he do but divert the attention to his partner? Besides, he had to admit it did his self-esteem good to be able to charm people so thoroughly. It also amused him immensely whenever Hughes sighed and moaned about having created a monster.

One day, things changed-- Edward and Alphonse Elric were coming to Central.

The call had come through one busy morning. As usual, red tape ensured he was one of the last to find out about a militant group's threat to free their leader. He'd spent a few minutes examining who among the brass had potential to be compromised when Hawkeye transferred Edward Elric's call through.

Some unexplained hunch made Roy direct the earnest sounding Edward and his brother onto an earlier train-- the same train carrying a VIP whose schedule was in his hand. That he could practically hear Edward snapping to attention on his order amused him even more.

"I'm going to try their luck," he murmured smugly to a confused Hawkeye.

He didn't have long to stay mysterious. The next call from Hughes sent him into twitchy irritation. Fond as he was of his best friend, having to listen to him gush about his pregnant wife was wearing on his nerves.

"My wife is such an angel!"

"You've already told me that 50 times already, Hughes! Don't call me to tell me such things, call her!" Roy interrupted in between gush. His fingers were itching with the urge to snap.

"I already have! I just want to share it all with you," came the reply.

"If I ever find out how to make a fire array work across the phones, you're in big trouble!" Threats didn't seem to work at all.

Roy must have snapped his fingers in reflex because he spotted Havoc jumping to attention with a horrified gasp. Hawkeye must have seen the same and with a fine sense of self-preservation, picked up the extension to yell that Gracia wasn't going to deliver her baby any time soon. 

None of this even made Hughes pause for a second. Roy finally slammed the phone down and collapsed on his desk.

It seemed like two seconds later when the phone rang again and Roy was resigned to having Hughes talk to him till his brain melted into a puddle of goo. But suddenly he turned serious.

"What? A suspicious guy in a suit of armor?" Roy repeated. He remembered all too clearly the last time he'd seen those two and tried not to sound too gleeful at the thought of knowing something Hughes didn't. "Oh he's all right." He went on to explain who Alphonse and Edward Elric were.

A few more disjointed comments from Hughes on Edward's reaction to being called chibi and suddenly Roy heard the distinct crack of gunshots. Alarm flooded his heart but there was little he could do after the line abruptly cut off. He cursed fluently and turned to Hawkeye, issuing her commands to mobilize his people.

It was the waiting game he had to play in times of crisis that chafed him the most, Roy decided. He suffered yet another bout of impotency after the terrorist Bard called him.

"You are not to kill anyone," Roy warned. There was little else he could do but he swore to himself that if anyone was harmed, he'd toast them all.

The ride down to the train station seemed an eternity and the wait for the train to show up, even longer. Then it rolled in and there was nothing for Roy to do.

He debriefed Hughes quickly, made sure his friend was packed off with the paramedics, visited General Hakuro and listened to him rant about his scanty security and Roy's apparent lack of care in dealing with the General's safety. He bore with it because he must before skillfully diverting the General with a new thought to reward his rescuer.

After sending them all off, he returned to the platform to inspect the prisoners and his gamble that had paid off. 

A sudden lurch from one of the prisoners and he was rising, free of his bonds. Roy watched calmly as the man charged at him, a sharp blade of steel jutting from his automail hand. Riza was instantly at his side, gun drawn to fire, but before she could do anything, Roy reached out his hand and snapped his fingers.

The resulting explosion was so satisfying that Roy wanted to laugh out loud. He'd wanted so badly to toast something all day.

"I am Roy Mustang, Lieutanant-Colonel. The Flame Alchemist," he declared flamboyantly, knowing the show he just put on could only enhance his reputation. He strode over to the Elric brothers.

"You put us on that train knowing about those men!" Edward glared at him accusingly.

Roy favored him with another smug smile. "General Hakuro has agreed to sponsor you for the State Alchemist examination," he said, relishing the look of astonishment on Edward's face. "Did you think that any child could just enter the examinations?"

He studied Edward for yet another moment and was surprised by how protective he suddenly felt for this young child. He'd suffered so much, how could Roy help him on a path that only promised more pain? He found himself walking past him.

"It's up to you whether you want to do it." 

Even as he said the words, Roy knew Edward wouldn't give up. And neither would Roy.

Notes: . I took liberties with the reasons why Roy is such a playboy. He's got plenty of reasons for doing it. Plus my Hughes muse suddenly decided to be responsible for Playboy!Roy. Yay for Hughes. Also I'm not going to type out word for word all the dialogue Roy has in the anime with other people. It just got too cumbersome. If you know all the extra stuff, good for you. As always, comments are appreciated.


	4. Chapter 4

It seemed that nothing could deter the Elric brothers from their purpose because the next morning, the two were sitting in Roy's office, deep in the heart of the military headquarters in Central.

"So have you decided to take the test?" he asked, studying the odd duo closely.

"Of course!" Edward's retort was satisfyingly quick if lacking proper respect. "Shall I wag my tail while I'm at it?"

Roy harrumphed, nodding. He hadn't expected any less. He noted that Alphonse's posture was stiff with disapproval but the large suit of armor didn't say anything to admonish Edward. Roy supposed that Al was probably used to his brother's attitude.

Drawing out a file from a stack on his table, he pushed it at Edward. "We'll arrange for you two to study in the most appropriate place."

Ed reached forward and read out the title on the cover. "The Sewing Life Alchemist?"

"Shou Tucker. He is the foremost expert in Bio Alchemy," Roy replied. He could see the wheels turning to understanding in their heads by the sudden excitement on their faces.

Roy had researched Tucker thoroughly before deciding that he was the best candidate to take care of the boys. The man had a large house with an equally large library and from his records, a four-year-old daughter he seemed to dote on. His research would be interesting to the boys even though it appeared that the Alchemist had made little progress since his spectacular success two years ago. Roy had spoken to the man about taking the boys in and gained his eager agreement. Tucker it seemed was more than anxious to be useful to the military.

Roy led the boys out to his requisitioned car and gave directions to Tucker's house. "Two years ago, Mr Tucker succeeded in transmuting a chimera that spoke human words, and thus received the title of State Alchemist," he informed the boys.

Ed's eyes were wide with amazement. "A talking chimera?"

Roy wasn't sure if the young Elric had ever come across the term and decided to explain himself. "A chimera is an animal put together from two of more animals with different genetics. Of course, the amazing thing is that this particular chimera understood and could speak human words."

Roy could see their growing excitement in their pleased exclamations. They were practically bouncing with anticipation, though it was odd to see a suit of armor getting excited. It made him feel rather like a benevolent uncle bestowing a treat upon his favored nephews.

Roy wanted to laugh even more when they arrived before the large mansion. If he had to put a word to it, cute was the only way to describe Ed's reaction on seeing it. However, he did manage to keep his stoic face as he rang the front bell. That is, until the big fluffy dog that bounced out of the bushes decided that Ed made a good carpet.

Fortunately, Roy's low chuckles were lost in Ed's panicked yelling and Al's desperate "Nii-san!" cries as the younger brother tried to calm his elder. The dog though was tenacious about sitting on top of the protesting Ed while it grinned and thumped its tail.

Roy was debating what he ought to do to get the diminutive Ed back on his feet when the front door opened. That the little girl that came out, so much tinier than Ed, could get the dog under control amused Roy even more.

The Lieutenant-Colonel managed to school his expression back to blandness when they were all ushered into the house. Tucker apologized for the mess on the floor and began to scramble about, picking up his books. Roy shrugged, not bothered by it in the least. No one who loved reading could fail to understand why there were books all over a house. Seeking to put them all at their ease, Roy made quick introductions and was glad to see the mature way Al handled Nina's question on how he was able to carry so much weight around.

"We'll have a chance to discuss about their situation in the future. But please take care of them now," Roy said pointedly to Tucker when the man stared hard at Alphonse. He was glad when the alchemist sent Nina away.

"Can we see the chimera that you transmuted?" Ed asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

There was an awkward pause before Tucker confessed sheepishly. "I'm afraid it died a little after it was made."

The man quickly changed the subject and offered to show the boys to the library. There was little left for Roy to do so he nodded to Tucker and made his farewells.

Roy didn't see or hear from the two for a long time after that. He received regular progress reports from Tucker, who was all too eager to supply him with information on what the boys were studying. Roy himself was busy with the paperwork of preparing for the upcoming state alchemist exams. Every year, there were many applicants. Despite what people said about being a dog of the military and being sent to the frontlines to kill people during a war, the pros of being a state alchemist often outweighed the cons. Since everyone else on the testing board outranked him—the Fuhrer, Brigadier General Basque Grand, General Hakuro—Roy, as the low man on the totem pole, had to do all the actual work.

He was so caught up with work that he barely noticed the days fly past until the first snows fell. For some reason, he was flipping through Edward Elric's records when his eyes fell on a date. Picking up his phone, he dialed his best friend.

"Hughes, can you do me a favor?" he asked after patiently listening to his friend's usual spiel about how his pregnant wife was so lovely.

"Roy, my man, you mean you're finally going to let me match make you with a nice girl?" Hughes grinned into the phone.

"No," Roy snapped, trying not to sound too cross. He did want a favor from the other after all. He settled back and explained the situation. "You remember the Elric brothers? One of them, the elder one, Edward, it's his birthday today." He knew Hughes remembered Edward. It would be hard not to since their first introduction had been so dramatic.

"I was wondering if you and Gracia could, you know, celebrate it with him."

There was a long pause from the other side. Roy was amazed that he'd managed to shut Hughes up for even a minute.

"You really care about what happens to those two boys?" Hughes finally said, his tone thick with fatherly pride at Roy's display of kindness.

Roy snorted, avoiding the answer. "I was just thinking it'd be good for you to practice taking care of some kids, with your own on the way," he replied gruffly. "Anyway, those two boys, they don't have anyone but each other. I think they'd deserve a home-cooked meal on a birthday. Gracia cooks so well." Roy knew he was laying it on thick but Hughes was always eager to listen to praises of his wife.

Hughes rose to the bait. "Of course she does, she's perfect. But why don't you come along as well? You haven't gone to visit them at all?"

"I can't," Roy declined. "I'm going to be their examiner. I have to maintain a proper distance. As it is, there are going to be people who will accuse me of trying to score points with those boys. Especially when they show everyone how smart they are." Of that, Roy was certain.

"All right, all right, I'll tell Gracia to prepare dinner and go pick them up."

Roy hung up with a distinct sense of satisfaction. The Elric brothers need never know he was watching out for them. It was best this way.

The next Roy heard from Hughes was late that night, when his friend called to exclaim over his good news—his daughter was born. Roy was impressed that the Elric brothers had helped Gracia, and was glad that his friend's wife hadn't been alone.

The days passed, growing ever more hectic for Roy, until the day of the State Alchemist exams.


	5. Chapter 5

The next time Roy saw the Elric brothers was in the great testing hall for the State Alchemist candidates. It wasn't precisely packed and there were enough tables that each candidate had their own space but the two brothers, as expected, were seated next to each other. Roy stood at attention in his position to the right of the Fuhrer and watched the candidates carefully.

Every year, the exams for the State Alchemist positions comprised of a writing portion, an interview and finally a display of practical skills. It was also the best way for the military to weed out those who had skills that they could use. Most candidates attempting the trial were eliminated at the written exam. That the test was difficult was an understatement. Many alchemists spent years studying and trying to understand the intricacies of the science behind alchemy. The exam tested basic knowledge and grounding, as well as a candidate's dedication to the pursuit of alchemy. Roy wondered if the boys could meet this starting challenge.

He tried not to show his anxiety as he watched them write furiously. Once again, he was struck by the alarming thought that Ed was really cute as he gnawed on his pencil while struggling with his answers. Roy was actually relieved when the time ran out and the papers were handed in.

He returned to his office with the hefty stack. Once again, as low man on the totem pole, he was tasked with correcting them. It was both a good thing and a bad one that he was one of the few State Alchemists in the military of a high enough rank trusted to take care of them. Most of the others were involved in pure research. Basque Grand was higher ranking of course, but he had a prison to look after and was always happy to foist/order Roy to do any tedious work. Asking General Hakuro to mark papers would be laughable—he was only involved because he liked to have his fingers in every pie that the Fuhrer was interested. Besides, he wasn't an alchemist—only one could understand the answers anyway.

It took Roy several days to plough through them. At the end of which, he leaned back, a troubled frown on his face.

"What's wrong, Lieutenant-Colonel?" Hawkeye asked. She'd been very kind in sparing him other paperwork during this period, though it was piling up awaiting Roy's attention the moment he finished, he was sure.

Roy pushed one thick stack of answers forward on his desk. "I never expected the younger brother to do so well. His score is perfect. I couldn't find anything wrong in any of the answers."

"That's not good?" Hawkeye asked, not quite sure why that was. For some reason, she understood that he was talking about Alphonse. Everyone in the office already knew Roy was concerned for the boys, even if he didn't advertise the fact.

"Not at all," Roy replied. "I guess I'll have to go see them."

Not wanting to put off delivering the bad news, he stood up and went off in search of them. He spotted them on a snowy bank near Tucker's house. Soberly he told Alphonse he had no option but to bow out.

The resulting outburst was expected. "I can't agree to that! Why? Why I shouldn't take the interview?" Alphonse demanded, his voice rising in agitation.

"If you wish to hide your past and move forward to your goal, this is the only way," Roy said as firmly as he could. He didn't want to have to state the obvious, that if Al underwent the physical examination during the interview portion of the test, his secret would be out. At that point, being shipped off to a research facility would be all he could expect.

Al didn't seem to understand. He continued to protest. "But I have the same goals! I can't leave my brother…"

Roy shot a desperate glance at Edward, wondering if he could understand the importance of what Roy was asking of Alphonse. Ed met his eyes and a sudden clarity filled those golden irises.

Ed reached out a hand to steady his brother. "It's all right, Al. Didn't Aunty Pinako say State Alchemists get called to duty when a war breaks out? And they have to kill people using alchemy, which is supposed to be used for the good of the people. If you pass, it means you become a dog of the military," Ed said. He tried to sound cheerful but Roy detected an underlying tone of bitterness.

"Only I should have to endure the shame of becoming a state alchemist. So I'll become one and make your wish come true."

Roy heaved a silent sigh of relief when Alphonse quieted down in surrender. It seemed that the elder brother had the ultimate influence upon the younger. He made a mental note that Edward was at least, quick on the uptake.

"Edward, prepare yourself for the interview. You'll be asked why you wish to be a State Alchemist. Think about your answer carefully," Roy warned. He refused to think that he was showing favoritism by warning him. He really didn't want Ed to spring any surprises upon the board with his answer.

He left the boys with the time and place for Ed's interview and returned to headquarters.

The next he saw Edward Elric was at the interview. Ed bravely met the Fuhrer's challenge and sat upon the odd chair, unafraid. Then the Fuhrer asked the question that Roy was afraid of.

"Why do you want to be a State Alchemist?"

Roy almost held his breath, waiting for the answer. If the youth even spoke about human transmutation…

"Because I promised my only family member I would become a state alchemist!" Ed declared. There was a fire burning bright in his determined eyes.

Roy bowed his head to hide his smile. He was glad Edward hadn't disappointed him.

Finally, it was the day of the physical skills test. This was probably the most difficult part of the exam. Alchemists had an option when they got to this portion. They could either submit reports on an experiment that they'd conducted or attend the field test and transmute something on the spot. It was at this point that most people failed.

Roy and his group of underlings had spent many a tedious hour dragging together all the materials to this arena for the test. There was a large mountain of earth that an overnight snowfall had turned into a picturesque snow-covered hill. A small pond of water lay in the middle, previously frozen in the cold weather and hastily liquefied by Roy with a snap of his fingers. Several large conifers were propped about.

With a word from Fuhrer Bradley, the wannabe alchemists surged forward. One swiftly drew an array around a pile of dirt and transmuted it into a somewhat crooked obelisk. Roy thought it was a little ostentatious and impractical but General Hakuro was exclaiming with pleasure to see the showy display.

"Excellent, but losing strength at the end, that's not good," Hakuro commented with a confiding air to the Fuhrer. He was obviously sucking up, big time.

A second alchemist rushed into the arena unwilling to let the first guy bask in the limelight too long. He drew a large array and began dragging his materials into it. Slapping his hands down upon it, the array lit up and with a flash, the raw materials were transmuted into a large balloon. It rose steadily up into the sky.

The murmurs of approval from the gathered examiners soon turned into snorts of disgust when the balloon burst a hole. Roy was among the first to get alarmed when he saw it shoot towards the distended obelisk. Before he could do anything, the tip had punctured the object. The obelisk broke apart and began to crumble down--right on top of its prone creator.

"This is not good!" Roy exclaimed, starting forward. By reflex, he pulled his gloves on, fingers at the ready to snap. Then he realized that he couldn't do anything. The second Alchemist had obviously used hydrogen to power his inflatable into the sky. If Roy introduced any fire to the volatile mixture, the resulting explosion would probably take out everyone in the arena.

He gasped with shock when he saw Edward suddenly rush full tilt forward. The youth clapped his hands together and then stretched out his hands towards the crumbling mass of destruction. All of a sudden, the light of alchemy flared and the air was filled with a shower of pink flower petals.

"So he doesn't need a transmutation array," Roy said aloud in amazement. Edward Elric impressed him beyond his expectation. If he was such a prodigy at age 12, Roy didn't even dare to think about what he'd be like in a few more years. Perhaps he could achieve his goal and restore his brother after all. Roy was so proud of him, as if Edward was his own discovery, except now he had to share.

Unanimously, all the examiners agreed—Edward Elric had passed the qualification exams for State Alchemist.


	6. Chapter 6

Lieutenant-Colonel Roy Mustang didn't have any time to relax after the end of the State Alchemist exams. The next morning that he returned to the office, he found himself promptly swamped by a most serious case.

A serial killer was targeting women in Central City, kidnapping them and then dumping their brutally mutilated bodies on the streets. Roy grew more and more disgusted as he read the case files, not just from the description and photographs of the victims, but also from the inability of city police to catch the culprit. City police had no leads at all and were only now turning to the military for help.

He was glad to accept the task-- it would look good for him when he solved the case. He had perfect confidence in that, especially since he was able to co-opt Maes Hughes into helping. The only question was how long it would take. Twice police had arrived at the crime scene moments too late, given the fresh state of the evidence. He scoffed at the incompetence displayed. He was turning over how someone could have vanished practically under the noses of the law enforcement when Edward Elric bounced in.

The young alchemist grinned at him, brimming with glee at his newly acquired status. Roy barely glanced at him, reached into his drawer and took out the heavy silver watch. 

"There you go," he said, tossing it over to Ed.

"You know there had to be a better way to hand this to me," Ed yelped after barely catching the status symbol.

Roy snorted. Ed would soon realize the watch wasn't all it was cracked up to be. Some alchemists relied upon the array inscribed upon it to enhance their skills but Roy was of the opinion that any alchemist worth his or her salt wouldn't need it. Roy himself barely ever took his out and he was sure that Edward had enough power of his own to ever need to rely upon it.

"Congratulations, you are now a dog of the military," said Roy, a touch more bitter than he meant to be. "Lieutenant Havoc, take him home." He really didn't want to deal with an exuberant Edward glowing with the success of his achievement. Not while he still had a mountain of reports to read.

Roy nodded to Havoc, knowing the man would also remember to remind Tucker of his upcoming evaluations. It was a peripheral order anyway. The man was under the command of Brigadier-General Basque Grand and Roy expected the general would take care of him. The Iron Blood Alchemist certainly kept the chimera research under wraps, sealing them in the First Sector Library under regulations which Roy hadn't even been able to access.

At any rate, he had more things on his mind than Edward Elric.

Roy was quickly called to the scene of the crime when next the serial killer struck. 

"What's the situation?" he asked the first officers at the scene.

"It's a young woman, Sir! Looks like the same ammo of the serial killer. She's been cut up bad," the officer said. "Sir, it seems that she has a child."

Roy's gaze moved to the sobbing child struggling in the grasp of several uniformed men. He turned to Riza and nodded. In such a situation, he had no qualms appealing to her. Hopefully, a woman's touch would be enough to calm the child. Despite Riza's no-nonsense exterior, she was very kind at heart.

He listened to more reports from his men, while ordering a cordon to be placed and all vehicles and buildings in the vicinity to be searched. A car drew up and Roy caught a glimpse of Hughes getting out. He was shocked to see Edward Elric accompanying him.

He strode over to his friend, ready to scold him for dragging Edward to the area. While Edward was not a civilian, he was definitely uninvolved. The shrieks of the victim's child however, interrupted him before he could say anything.

Roy turned towards Riza who was trying to lift the child away from his mother's corpse. Instead, the child, clinging with tenacity, grabbed at the shroud covering his mother and pulled it away.

Roy winced at the revealed sight. He was about to yell at somebody to go cover it up again when a second set of screams set up in counterpoint to the victim's child.

He crossed the two steps separating him from Ed and grabbed at him. "Edward!" he exclaimed, alarmed to see the young alchemist suddenly screaming wildly. Edward thrashed in his arms calling for his mother. While he held him, Roy was reminded of how very young he was, and how he possibly wasn't over the trauma of his mother's death.

Fortunately, Edward slumped into a faint before a thrashing automail limb hit Roy. 

Realizing he'd made enough of a scene with Ed, Roy quickly called Havoc over. Handing over his burden, he instructed the man to take Edward back to Tucker's home.

The next time Roy saw Edward Elric was once again at another crime scene. This time the victim was but a splatter on the wall and Ed once more traumatized before it. Roy sat with Riza in his car while he debated how to deal with Ed.

"If there were ever a thing known as an act of the devil, this case must be it," he said bitterly to her.

"We State Alchemists are the military's human weapons. If there is a need, we will be called to duty, and if there is an order, we must soil our hands," he continued. He didn't know why but finding out about Tucker's act didn't shock him as thoroughly as he thought it should. He reasoned it out.

"What Tucker did and the position we are in right now are the same, if we look at how both affects human lives."

Riza simply gazed steadily at him. "That is how an adult thinks," she said soberly. "But those two are…"

She was right. The Elric siblings were not adults, and Roy cursed himself for putting that expectation on them. But he knew he couldn't afford to indulge them.

It was with grim determination that he stepped out of his car into the pouring rain. Slowly, he walked into the dim alley. Edward was standing at the end, watched by a still Alphonse. Over and over again, the young alchemist clapped his hands and slammed them against the blood splatter on the wall.

Roy watched the action until he couldn't bear it anymore.

"It's useless," he said sternly. Edward and Alphonse whirled around to face him. "It's impossible to rebuild a life form that has lost its life already, no matter how good an alchemist you are." Roy knew exactly what Ed was contemplating. He had to put a stop to it.

"Reviving a useless chimera, what good will that do?" he said harshly. He tried not to be affected by the way Ed was glaring daggers at him.

"There will be much worse things down the path you two have chosen. You must accept this. Even if you must force yourselves to, and move on."

It was the voice of reason but why did Roy feel so dirty for saying the words. Yet, he refused to permit himself to falter.

"Accept this!" Ed yelled, lunging at him.

Roy reacted automatically. He grabbed at Edward's blood-soaked wrist, pulling him close till they were face to face, heated breaths fogging between them in the cold air.

"You have a goal you wish to accomplish, right?" He knew that was Ed's Achilles Heel. Above all else, he wanted to restore Al. It seemed that he had struck a chord, because the helpless fury in Ed's eyes turned to anger directed at him.

"Do you have time to stand around like this?" Roy pressed on, hating himself for being so hard on the youth but it was better like this. Better than him lost in a morass of self-blame and despair. Oh yes, Roy knew that Ed blamed himself for not being able to save Tucker's daughter. And yes, Roy was deliberately turning the focus of Edward's pain away into hatred for him.

"This is a job for my department to investigate. Go away." He knew Ed wouldn't take that as absolution but at least it would remove him from this gory scene. The young alchemist looked worn and at the end of his strength. Roy nodded to Alphonse, and then deliberately turned away, dismissing the two of them. Besides, he didn't want to see the blazing hate in Edward's eyes for him anymore.

Thankfully, the brothers left and Roy was able to confer with Hughes.

"This case is odd, it doesn't seem connected to the other cases. The victim isn't a woman and it seems to have exploded from the inside, not mutilated..." Roy wondered if Hughes was thinking the same thing-- that there was more than one killer out there on the loose.

Roy was awake the rest of the night dealing with the situation. The next day, he directed Havoc to find the Elric brothers and give them a task. He knew that if the boys were left unoccupied, they would get into trouble. Since he had few resources among Alchemists to deploy, he decided the boys would best be useful in collating Tucker's research.

Unfortunately, the task wasn't to Edward's taste because the young alchemist was back in Roy's office a few days later. Roy looked up, raising an inquiring eyebrow as the young man slammed open his door and marched up to his desk.

"I want to help catch the serial killer!" Ed declared, his shoulders stiff with defiance.

Roy swallowed a sigh. He really didn't want to have to deal with this right now. "I cannot permit it."

The returning protest was swift. "Why? The serial murderer might have done it to Nina. I'll help find him!"

"What about the job I ordered you to do? What happened to the analysis of Tucker's research?" Roy cursed at Ed mentally. He had thought it'd be enough to occupy the prodigy for a while.

"I don't want to do that." Ed's answer was practically a whine. "I'll investigate the matter on my own."

There the ultimatum was out. Roy really didn't like this aspect of Ed. He was being a total brat. There was no answer he could make but call the challenge.

"Then leave that behind." Roy pointed to the silver chain hooked into the pocket.

"I was planning to." Challenge called and answered.

Sitting at his desk after Edward's departure, Roy turned the silver watch in his hands. He wasn't sure if he should feel disappointed or relieved that Edward's career as a State Alchemist had been so brief. On the one hand, it removed the youth from grasp of the military and those who would use his talent in the worst ways. On the other hand, Roy would no longer have any contact with him. He wondered about the twist in his heart at the thought of not being able to protect the two Elric brothers anymore or see the great things that he was sure they would do.

At any rate, the matter was out of his hands. He did however alert Hughes to watch out for Edward, just in case the boy got into trouble. He knew his friend had bonded with Ed and Al when Elysia was born.

Much later, Riza returned, visibly shaken. She reported an odd encounter between the Fuhrer and Alphonse. Roy listened carefully and was mystified. Why would the Fuhrer encourage Alphonse in searching for the Philosopher's Stone? Especially by tempting him with information that only State Alchemists could access?

Roy didn't have time to wonder much about it before the serial killer case came to its dramatic close.

A frantic call from Hughes and Roy was on his way to the meat factory. Listening to Hughes' debrief, Roy waffled between anger and concern. He paled to hear that the young Miss Rockbell kidnapped by the vicious killer and grew furious to hear that Ed had run off alone without telling anyone.

He calmed down when he saw Edward. The teen was huddled in a bundle next to Alphonse, cuts all over his arms, shivering and crying in a state of shock. Seeing the wretched state he was in, Roy resolved to do a better job protecting him in the future. He couldn't offer any comfort and instinctively understood that only Al could console Edward at this time. The only thing he could do was direct the cleanup.

When next he saw Edward Elric, he was glad the young Alchemist had recovered his spirits. Once more, he stood before Roy's desk, his stance challenging and confident.

"A condition?" Roy blinked at him. So the young man wished to return as a State Alchemist.

"I will abide by the military's missions. But I want you to give me all the information related to the Philosopher's Stone," Ed said. His entire body language spoke of not taking no for an answer.

"When I'm not on a mission, please let me to look for the Philosopher's Stone."

So this was the white whale that Edward meant to chase. Roy leant back in his chair and thought quickly. If he allowed Edward back under his command, he would have a second chance to protect the Elric brothers. And if they were after the Philosopher's Stone, they would need protecting.

Just as payback for all the grief Ed had given him during this case, Roy couldn't resist answering. "Do you want your crime of performing human transmutation known to the public? Your brother will be sent to some lab because he's a case of rare transmutation."

He watched Ed pale a shade and relented.

"I can threaten you by saying that," he said. "But very well. I have a condition of my own. You will report everything you learn about the Philosopher's Stone to me." At least this way, Roy could be kept on top of things and see any threats coming. People who searched for the Philosopher's Stone had a tendency to die messily.

Seeing Edward's quick nod and returning grin, Roy knew they had come to an understanding. He reached across his desk and pulled out a large envelope, handing it over to Ed.

"The Fuhrer has given you a second name," he continued, smiling at the thought of its irony.

Roy watched Ed pull out the paper within and read it. A slight frown marred his brow. He turned and looked at Roy quizzically.

"State Alchemists are given a silver watch and a second name," he explained. "The second name you will carry is FullMetal. You will be the FullMetal Alchemist."

Ed's grin broadened. "I like it. I will bear it."

Roy watched him and knew he would indeed. But deep inside, he wondered if one day Ed would forgive him for taking him back, and placing the expectations and burdens of an adult on his too young shoulders. 

Notes: Roy is a manipulative bastard but you guys knew that already. This was a hard chapter to write because there were so many scenes to transit between. It's particularly hard when Ed and Al go off to do their thing and Roy doesn't know any of it. I could imagine he'd have been really busy though, given that he was the point man for coordinating a city-wide hunt for a serial killer.


End file.
